Down Elm Street
by Chalant Lover
Summary: (AU) They both start out as strangers, but one New Years can change that. The only thing they have to worry is being at the right place at the right time. Dick/Zatanna chalant


**Summary: (_AU_) They both start out as strangers, but one New Years can change that. The only thing they have to worry is being at the right place at the right time.**

**Pairing: Dick Grayson/Zatanna Zatara**

**Rating: K+**

**Words: 2,400+**

**A/N: This is my 20th story! I've been working on this little chalant one shot fic for you guys and I hope you enjoy it! Review!**

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**Down Elm Street **

**-December 31st 2017-**

The rain drizzled ever so lightly on the cold streets of New York. Everyone's ready for this big night. They're either heading for Time Square or in their own comfortable home surrounded with the people they love.

For Zatanna, it's relaxation because her New Years show is finally over. Her heels were a bit damp, but that's not the first time. The 20 year old magician stops at the corner of Elm Street to call a taxi cab.

A man with black hair and a perfect body figure was trying to do the same thing, but he's not doing a very good job at it. She laughed, "I can tell you're new from here."

He turned around when he figured out that she was talking to him, "I'm just visiting."

"Yeah," she shrugged, "lots of people are."

He smiled at her, "It's New Years Eve. I'm just trying to get a taxi to take me to Town Square."

She already caught a taxi's attention by her whistle which sounded like it could only be done by experience. Zatanna opened the cab's door, "You might not want to miss the count down."

"You didn't have to get me a taxi. It's yours, I'll just get the next one."

"What next one? There's going to be a traffic soon."

"Then what about you?"

Zatanna went in the taxi cab, "I guess we'll just be going the same way."

Dick puts his hands in the black leather pocket jacket he's wearing and nodded towards her. He told the driver his destination and sat comfortably next to the girl that he just met, "Thanks, again."

She looked at him and smiled, "It's okay. Are you expecting anyone in Town Square?"

"Not really. It's my first time here in NYC and I never thought I'd be here by business," he chuckled.

"Ohh," she's laughing with him, "a first timer."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." he said it whelmingly as he could, "What about you? Wouldn't you rather spend New Years with family, or a friend, or your boyfriend?"

The 19 year old guy kind of just slipped the last one out, but he didn't show any signs of it. She replied, "I have no idea where my friends are, I'm single, and my mom and dad died."

His heart felt complete sympathy, "Ooh, I'm really sorry."

"No, no it's okay. I guess fate just didn't want me to be happy."

"It's weird how it doesn't want lots of people happy," he stammered, "my real parents died too."

Zatanna quirked up a half smile, "I'm guessing we're not strangers anymore."

Dick held out his hand, "My name's-"

The driver quickly interrupted them, "You're in Town Square and they're about to drop the ball."

Dick didn't mind paying for it at all. As soon as he was done paying the driver and closing the door, the 20 year old girl grabbed his hand. They both pushed through the crowds and yelling people. He didn't know where he was going, and he didn't even know if she did too. Although, this is his first time in New York and he could tell that she lived around here almost her whole entire life.

Both of them stopped and she tried to tell him something, but he couldn't hear her. She pointed to her wrist which meant time. Everyone around them started counting down. Ten seconds until a perfectly good new year and they're still holding hands. She didn't notice it, but he did.

Five seconds left and everything seemed so happy and perfectly amazing. She's looking up to his face and sees how mesmerizing he truly is. She doesn't know if he's a bad boy, heartthrob, or a narcissist. Zatanna didn't know if he is any of that, but she truly wants to know more about him.

Three. Two. One...

Some couples around them were kissing which was kind of obvious. Dick Grayson didn't know what to do, but the girl next to him apparently did. She kissed him. And he didn't pull back in any ways. Zatanna really hoped he's single.

They looked at each other's eyes for moment and didn't say anything. Zatanna pipes up a sentence, "It's what you're suppose to do in New Years."

He only said one word, "Yeah."

He was completely speechless because his mind already agreed of it being the best kiss, so far. Lots of people were being so loud and the fireworks were blaring his ears.

Someone pulled Zatanna's shoulders and more screaming came out. No one was getting kidnapped, but Zatanna finally found out where her friends were. There were hugs and big smiles being given. Dick just stood there uncomfortably, but the crowd started to push him farther and farther from her.

He soon started to look for her, but he couldn't find her. He wanted to scream her name, but he has a problem. He doesn't know her name. The crowd around them is still pushing him, and he couldn't get out of it.

Zatanna looks back to where he was standing, but she couldn't find him anymore. She can't find him at all.

...

**-January 1st 2018-**

Dick stood on the exact spot where she kissed him and he kissed back. A small smile's faint on his face as he thought of the memory of last night. He wasn't going to forget her, and he never will.

He looked around for her, but he just couldn't see her. He waited another minute and another and another. Lots of people probably looked at him weird for just standing there for a long time and not doing anything else.

Dick sighed and looked at his wrist watch. It's 10:19 and his ride back to Gotham was about to come. The young man started to walk and didn't even look back because he felt in his heart that he waited enough.

A young girl at age 20 with her long black hair stood at the exact spot he was at. She checked her watch. It's 10:22 and she was kind of hoping on see him, but she thought it was ridiculous too.

She glanced at her watch again and sees that she's almost going to be late for work, again.

...

**-May 20th 2018-**

It's been several months since their last encounter. She doesn't seem weirded out at all that she remembered every scene with him to be so clear and vivid. She tried to push that thought for second to think of today.

This specific day is the day she was born. Zatanna already hung with her friends to a bar. She's already at her little posh apartment which suited her kind of style. The stage magician got her cupcake out of the bakery box and puts on a candle on top.

Her dad always had a tradition where all of the lights are off and the only thing shining is the candle. And once you blew on the candle, you can make your wish more secretly in the dark. He thought it would make your wish more possible that way. She really does miss him a lot. She misses both of her parents.

Zatanna smiled at her red velvet cupcake with white icing and sprinkles on top. She already lit up the candle. The little flame looked like it was dancing and it somehow made Zatanna more happy.

She just stopped and stared at it and thought of a perfect wish, because that's what she always thinks of every time her birthday comes along. It kind of gotten less planned when she grew up. Nonetheless, she's still doing the tradition.

Her small breath blew out the candle fire as she closed her eyes. She whispered to herself and warmly smiled. Then Zatanna opened her eyes again to reality.

...

**-October 3rd 2018-**

Richard was still reading through papers that seemed to pile up on his desk. His eyes looked like he didn't get that much sleep at all and his hair was a little messed up because he kept frizzing it when he got more agitated.

Wally knocked on the door, "Still a workaholic?"

"Wally what're you doing here?" Dick didn't even take his eyes off his work.

The red head shrugged, "Can't I visit my best friend?"

"No, really why are you here."

"Well then," Wally went closer to his mahogany desk, "we just think that you need a time off."

"Who's we? And I don't need time offs."

West murmured to himself, "Yeah right."

Finally the jet black haired man looked up, "What?"

"All I'm saying is that the group wants you to go out more. There's a magic show tonight and I heard she's super amazing! If you know what I mean." Wally had a dopey smirk on his face.

"Wally, I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm really busy. Tell everyone else that I said sorry. I just can't make it."

His best friend sighed, "Okay, if you change your mind I'll just leave the tickets next to the vase."

He never changed his mind.

...

**-December 31st 2018-**

Zatanna did a last minute practice on her magic before the curtains went up. The manager of the small stage theater came next to her, "Hey sweet cheeks."

"Hey Luke."

"Break a leg and see me in my office when you're done with the show."

She didn't know why he needed her, "What for?"

He only winked at her and then the curtains went up. All eyes were on her now. Zatanna gave them one of her big smiles and started the show, "Happy New Year's Eve everyone!"

...

It was raining again in Gotham. For once, Dick can breath again because he finally has some time off. He was about to turn off the lights and leave his office, but something caught his attention.

Richard went to the side of the embered lamp and turned off the little shade that it still left. He puts his hand on the table and sees that there was a ticket under it. The vase still stood next to it. For so long he's been trying to avoid it because he kind of regretted not taking the time off to be with his best friends. The worker crumpled it up and threw the ticket in the trash without even a thought.

He quickly sets the lights off and heads for the door. The instant he twisted the door knob his mind went all dizzy with curiosity. Dick Grayson shook it off and approached the elevator. At the moment the elevator dinged his brain felt that certain surge of running. His index finger kept pressing to open the metallic doors open.

His feet searched to go back to his office. Dick didn't know if it was the anxiety coming back to him, or something else. He opened the door to his office again, closed the door, and slumped down. He just slumped down because that's what his life felt like lately.

He covered his face with his hand. Then he ever so slowly puts his head up and looks to the corner of his eyes. Richard walked to it slowly and saw the crumpled paper opening up a little creep on the trash can.

A familiar spark opened his mind. The picture of that girl on the ticket made his eyes open. He whispered to himself, "Zatanna."

He gulped.

...

The clock on the manager's office had its hands on 11:49 and it was almost close to its brand new year. Zatanna just finished her last show for the year and went to Luke's office.

"Hey Zatanna, I got some news for you," Luke was still sitting on his chair.

She smiled, "What is it?"

Luke dramatically sighed in a manly way, "It's actually bad news."

One of Zatanna's eye brow went up, "What is it?"

"Look," he leaned more on his desk, "we have to cut your show for now on."

Rage went through Zatanna's mind, "What!?"

"Sorry, but we already have someone new."

"I've been in love with that stage since my dad took me here for his first show!"

"I know, but we needed someone else. Sorry Tanna."

She scuffed him, "Don't Tanna me. I should've left a long time ago because of you!"

The magician grabbed her jacket and stomped her feet out of the building. All she wanted to do is get away from that place. And that's exactly what she did.

At the same time she left through the back door, Dick Grayson just came through the front door. He asked the old janitor, "Is Zatanna still here?"

The janitor was still mopping the stage, "You just missed her. She left a minute ago."

He blinked, "Oh."

A glum face was seen as he went out the doors and entered back into the streets of New York. His feet kept walking while his head kept looking at the concrete floor. And then he just stopped.

He looked up and saw that he's in Elm Street again. At that exact moment he turned around and he finally saw her. He finally found her. Her body quickly froze when he saw him again. In the exact spot. Like last year.

She came in front of him, "You're here."

He smiled at her, "I guess fate's not that mean anymore."

Zatanna was still flabbergasted, "You're actually here."

He swallowed a lump on his throat, "I never got the chance to say hi."

Zatanna was looking around if this was fake, but it really wasn't because this was reality. Reality was happening right now. She pushes her hair back, looks down to her feet, and then looks straight in his eyes, "Hi..."

In a moment of pause he finally says, "I'm Dick Grayson."

She smiled at him uncontrollably, "I'm Zatanna Zatara."

Even though both of them weren't in Time Square they could still hear the people counting down. She says, "You know even though my year might've ended badly there's still a thing you do in new years."

Everyone else was still counting down, but he was helplessly staring at her the whole time. Dick didn't even know when he even fell for her, "Yeah..."

Three. Two. One...

They kissed. As more as ever on that exact street and on that exact time.


End file.
